Wanna Be a Steader!

Christmas Traditions at the Wolf House

See if this sounds familiar to you...

It's Christmas morning, the day we remember and celebrate our dear Saviour's birth.  The alarm blares out an hour before any of the roosters roosting in the stable with the holy Babe would have dared to crow.  You drag yourself out of bed and after starting the coffee-maker, setting out food to ready for all the different stops you will make today, you wake up each family member.  Are you greeted this important day with, "Merry Christmas, Dear!"?  Or, "Merry Christmas, Mommy!"?  OR do the noises emanating from your family sound more like something that a bear family roused too early from hibernation would sound like?  Makes you wonder if you should have skipped that beautiful candle-light Christmas Eve service last night.

But does it stop there?  Oh, no.  Once everyone is up and running, the kids dive down the stairs, rip open their presents, quick "thank you's" are passed around, and breakfast is eaten half-way between the kitchen and the car as we all pile in, stowing presents for extended family members (that probably won't be appreciated) and a collection of casserole dishes as we go.

And thus begins the long tour of various family members' homes.  What a holiday.

This scenario became far too familiar at our house.  Each Christmas morning I would become depressed.  Not because of the rush, rush of getting everyone dressed, fed and packages ready; but because I would remember my childhood Christmas memories.  We had plenty of time to open and enjoy our presents, play with our new toys, put things together, try on our new oufits, to laugh and...to make memories!

When our oldest was around five years old, my husband and I made the decision that we really did want our children to have their own Christmas memories at their own home!  Since then, our family gets up on Christmas Eve morning and we make our own memories.  We take our time and open our gifts; we ooo and ahhh and pass around our "thank you's" and hugs and kisses.  My husband and I can relax and sip our coffee and watch the girls enjoy their presents while carols play in the background to remind us of our greatest Gift:  Emmanuel, God with us.

Have any of you modified your Christmas schedule to make your own family memories?  Tell us about them!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

much needed message!

06:10, 2007-Dec-5 .. Posted by blessedmomof10

Kim,
What a timely message and one we surely need to hear at this blessed time of year........ like you our Christamas' were harried, and we were falling into following the traditions of others instead of creating "our own" traditions..... it was at that time that we chose to stay home from extended family parties! Gasp! You would have thought someone had died.... oh my! But I am soooooo glad we did... no longer did we have to rush and run - but we could choose to stay home and enjoy the beauty of this lovely and magnificent season......
It is a delightful season now!
Your message is needed you have shared is needed... I Hope many read it!
Blessings~
gloria

Christmas

06:24, 2007-Dec-6 .. Posted by mccrjill

That is a good idea to have your Christmas on morning of Christmas eve. We decided to do homemade gifts too for my husband's side - nobody needs much anyway, so that will be more special. I'd love to live in a log home too someday, if it ever happens - if not okay. Yes, it's easy to get lost in a mega church. Hopefully we will find some others close by to fellowship with, but for now this is where we're at - our teenagers decided to go to their friend's church 20 miles away - it is a great church, so I can't complain. You never know how God will lead next - He knows the way through the wilderness!! Have a great Christmas - sorry for rambling. Jill

Untitled Comment

10:06, 2007-Dec-9 .. Posted by stitchnchick

Hi Kim~

I keep meaning to get over here! I'm sorry it took so long to reply regarding the old Christmas picture. I didn't get it from photobucket, I just have it stored there. It's in my computer, but it's been messed with and resized. (I don't think you want "Simple Folk" on your desktop!) I think I have some others that are similar, so I'll look and see what I have. :o)

Amy